• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

Objectives: This study intends to evaluate the ecological risk of lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and their compounds according to the 2010 action plan on inventory and management for national priority chemicals and provide calculations of risks to the environment. By doing so, we aim to inform risk management measures for the target chemicals. Methods: We conducted species sensitivity distribution (SSD) analysis using the collected ecotoxicity data and obtained predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) for the in-water environment using a hazardous concentration of 5% (HC5) protective of most species (95%) in the environment. Based on the calculated PNECs for aquatic organisms, PNEC values for soil and sediment were calculated using the partition coefficient. We also calculated predicted exposure concentration (PEC) from nation-wide environmental monitoring data and then the hazard quotient (HQ) was calculated using PNEC for environmental media. Results: Ecological toxicity data was categorized into five groups and five species for Pb and four groups and four species for As. Based on the HC5 values from SSD analysis, the PNEC value for aquatic organisms was calculated as 0.40 ㎍/L for Pb and 0.13 ㎍/L for As. PNEC values for soil and sediment calculated using a partition coefficient were 77.36 and 350.50 mg/kg for Pb and 24.20 and 112.75 mg/kg for As. The analysis of national environmental monitoring data showed that PEC values in water were 0.284 ㎍/L for Pb and 0.024 ㎍/L for As, while those in soil and sediment were respectively 45.9 and 44 mg/kg for Pb, and 11.40 and 19.80 mg/kg for As. Conclusions: HQs of Pb and As were 0.70 and 0.18 in water, while those in soil and sediment were 0.59 and 0.13 for Pb and 0.47 and 0.18 for As. With HQs <1 of lead and arsenic in the environment, their ecological risk levels are found to be low.

• 한국분무공학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.28-34
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• 2015

Recently, some researchers have been carried out risk assessment of vehicles exhaust on human health. Especially, some of VOCs which is non-controlled, was classified to hazardous pollutant, such as 1,3-Butadiene and BTEX(Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene). Therefore, the profile on non-controlled pollutant may be needed in the future, because it would be critical data or information to control them. Additionally, with increasing amount of motorcycle, the source profiling is essential for estimating emission factor and amount on motorcycle exhaust. For these, in this study, imported motorcycles (8 vehicles) were selected as a test model while considering the increasing ratio on sales volume between 2013 and 2014; it was also compared with domestic motorcycles on those. The experiment was conducted by driving mode, UDC and ECE+EUDC that made from EURO III. In addition, it was performed at cold start driving mode without effect by displacement, for evaluating only correlation of BTEX with HC. In order to apply the ratio (m,p-Xylene/o-Xylene) as a marker, the ratio was compared with those of tunnel, road side and residential area. As a result, it showed best correlation ($R^2=0.98$) among those. In the future, it has to be considered as a marker for effect evaluation to atmospheric environment by exhaust emission.

• 한국콘텐츠학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국콘텐츠학회 2018년도 춘계 종합학술대회 논문집
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• pp.409-410
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• 2018

Background: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases and can be affected by environmental factors. It has been reported that exposure to indoor environmental factors can cause infantile asthma during infancy and childhood, but the previous studies are not yet clear. Climate change has recently been shown to increase indoor mold. Exposure to fungi is known to be directly related to the development of aggravation. Methods: This study was conducted from July 20, 2016 to September 30, 2016. The study was conducted on 90 household with children under the age of 7 who attend atopy school. The questionnaire surveyed allergic symptoms, social and demographic characteristics, and environmental characteristics. Environmentally hazardous substances were measured such as temperature, humidity, fine dust, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, bacteria, fungus, house dust mite, endotoxin. Results: According to the survey results, 9 patients (10%) were treated with asthma, 6 (6.7%) were asthmatic patients during the past 12 months, and 4 patients (4.4%) were asthmatic patients during the past 12 months. There were statistically significant differences in the direct effect of smokers in the family (P=0.0328). High-filter vacuum cleaners collected $0.4222CFU/m^3$ in subjects without asthma, and $0.2222CFU/m^3$ in subjects with asthma. In addition, various results confirmed that asthma exacerbated by mold exposure. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that exposure to fungal by infants and toddlers may play an important role in the development of asthma. In this study, we investigated the relationship between asthma and fungal concentration.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.474-479
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• 1989

This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of improvement in work environment and of segregation in a fluorescent lamp manufacturing factory. Among the total of 80 workers, 8 workers whose mercury concentration in urine reached a hazardous level ($200-299{\mu}g/l$) were moved to mercury free workplace. The follow-up examination for their mercury concentration in urine was done three times ; on May 3, 1988, September 1, 1988 and April 3, 1989. The results were as follows : 1. Mercury concentration in the air was reduced from 0.140 to 0.107 $mg/m^3$ in 4 months, and to $0.087mg/m^3$ in one year after environmental improvement in workplace. However the level still exceeded the Threshold Limit Value. 2. The geometric mean of urinary mercury concentration among 80 workers was $173.0{\mu}g/l\;(5.1{\sim}458.6{\mu}g/l$). The distribution of workers according to urinary mercury concentration showed that 9 workers (11.2%) were above the mercury poisoning level ($300{\mu}g/l$), 24 workers (30.0%) were $200-299{\mu}g/l$, 35 workers (43.8%) were $50-199{\mu}g/l$, and 12 workers (15.0%) were below 50 ${\mu}g/l$. 3. Among the 24 workers whose urinary mercury concentration was 200-299 $50-199{\mu}g/l$, 8 were able to be followed up. Their mean urinary mercury concentration before segregation was $244.9{\mu}g/l$, but decreased to $151.4{\mu}g/l$ in four months, $128.8{\mu}g/l$ in six months, and $46.8{\mu}g/l$ in one year after segregation.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.549-560
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• 2015

농공단지에 입주제한된 31개 업종의 업종별 배출특성에 따른 화학적 유해성을 근거로 업종별 환경영향을 계량화하여 입지규제 우선순위을 도출하였다. 농공단지에 입주제한된 31개 업종의 환경상의 악영향과 환경기술발전에 따른 환경유해성 저감을 동시에 고려한 합리적 토지이용 관리방안을 수립하기 위하여 업종별로 수계, 토양 및 대기의 매체별 배출량 및 배출물질 $LC_{50}$ 자료에 의해 산정된 인체위해성과 생태위해성을 노출평가와 독성평가로 분석하는 화학적 등급화기법(CRS : Chemical Ranking and Scoring System)에 PRTR (Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers) 자료를 활용하였다. 농공단지 폐수배출관련 31개 업종에 대한 환경유해성을 도출한 결과에 의하면 2012년 기준으로 도금 착색 및 기타 표면처리강재 제조업, 생물학적 제제 제조업, 동 제련정련 및 합금 제조업, 솜 및 실 염색가공업, 그외 기타 1차철강 제조업, 기타 비철금속 압연압출 및 연신제품 제조업 등 6개 업종은 환경영향 점수가 상대적으로 낮게 산출되어 제조공정상에서 특정수질유해물질을 배출허용기준 이하로 배출된다고 인정하는 경우에 농공단지 입주제한을 완화시킬 수 있는 업종으로 평가된다.

• 한국환경복원기술학회지
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.73-86
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• 2020

In the modern era, the elementary schools in the Republic of Korea are advanced with the competitive world. Thus advancement in technology, and other factors in the elementary schools are releases some kind of particulate matter (PM), which causes deleterious effects on school students health, academic program, growth and development. The school students are susceptible to PM particularly, PM₁₀ and PM_2.5. Based on this hazardous effect of PM on school students we conducted the research on the elementary schools class rooms by introducing vertical gardening system to get the schools "ever green". The main aim of this study is to investigate the environmental factors in the educational effect program in the class rooms and indoor air quality changes. For the educational effect, the 4th operation program was applied to 2 schools for 2 hours once a month from September to December 2019. Each school conducted a survey on satisfaction, plant friendliness, and environmental sensibilities, targeting classes that participated in the green school program and those who did not. The environmental effects were monitored by installing indoor air quality facility in the program participating classes and the non-participating classes. From November 2019 to December 2019, three factors were measured: PM10, PM2.5, and humidity. The results were analyzed by T-test using the SPSS 24.0 software program. As a result of the analysis, student's overall satisfaction with the program and their intention to re-engage were high in terms of educational effect. It was also found to be effective in emotional, educational, social, and physical aspects. In particular, it was found that there was a statistically significant effect on improving plant friendliness in terms of plant friendliness and environmental sensitivity. In terms of environmental effects, it was found that there was a significant difference between the program-applied and non-programmed classes in PM10, PM2.5, and humidity. Through this study, it was confirmed that the plant education program using vertical gardens is effective in both the educational effect and the improvement of indoor air quality in the classroom. In conclusion, vertical gardening system in the elementary schools should implement for the beneficial of young generation development and back bone to the nation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.199-204
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• 2006

Objectives: Mercury is a hazardous organ-specific environmental contaminant. It exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states, each of which has unique characteristics for the target organ specificity. Exposure to mercury vapor and to organic mercury compounds specifically affects the CNS, while the kidney is the target organ for inorganic Hg compounds. Methods: In this study, mercury chloride $(HgCl_2)$ was studied in a renal derived cell system, i.e., the tubular epithelial Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line, which has specific sensitivity to the toxic effect of mercury. MDCK cells were cultured for 6-24 hr in vitro in various concentrations (0.1-100 M) of $HgCl_2$, and the markers of apoptosis or cell death were assayed, including DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activity andwestern blotting of cytochrome c. The influence of the metal on cell proliferation and viability were evaluated by the conventional MTT test. Results: The cell viability was decreased in a time and concentration dependent fashion: decreases were noted at 6, 12 and 24 hr after $HgCl_2$, exposure. The increases of DNA fragmentation were also observed in the concentrations from 0.1 to 10 M of $HgCl_2$ at 6 hr after exposure. However, we could not observe DNA fragmentation in the concentrations more than 25 M because the cells rapidly proceeded to necrotic cell death. The activation of caspase-3 was also observed at 6 hr exposure in the $HgCl_2$ concentrations from 0.1 to 10 M. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol, which is an initiator of the activation of the caspase cascade, was also observed in the $HgCl_2-treated$ MDCK cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that the activation of caspase-3 was involved in $HgCl_2-induced$ apoptosis. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol was also observed in the $HgCl_2-treated$ MDCK cells. These findings indicate that in MDCK cells, $HgCl_2$ is a potent inducer of apoptosis via cytochrome c release from the mitochondria.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제12권3_4호
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• pp.31-41
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• 1997

Public concerns about hazardous health effect from the exposure to organic by-products of the chlorination have been increased. There are numerous studies reporting that chlorination of drinking water produces numerous chlorinated organic by-products including THMs, HAAs, HANs. Some of these products are known to be animal carcinogens. The purpose of this study was to estimate health risk of DBPs by chlorinated drinking water ingestion in Seoul based on methodologies that have been developed for conducting risk assessment of complex-chemical-mixture. The drinking water sample was collected seperately at six water treatment plant in Seoul at March, April, 1996. In tap water of households in Seoul, DBPs were measured wilfh the mean value of 36.6 $\mu$g/L. Risk assessment processes,. which include processes for the estimation of human cancer potency using animal bioassay data and calculation of human exposure, entail uncertainties. In the exposure assessment process, exposure scenarios with various assumptions could affect the exposure amount and excess cancer risk. The reference dose of haloacetonitriles was estimated to be 0.0023 mg/kg/day by applying dibromoacetonitrile NOAEL and uncertainty factor to the mean concentration. In the first case, human excess cancer risk was estimated by the US EPA method used to set the MCL (maximum contaminant level). In the second and third case, the risk was estimated for multi-route exposure with and without adopting Monte-Carlo simulation, respectively. In the second case, exposure input parameters and cancer potencies used probability distributions, and in the third case, those values used point estimates (mean, and maximum or 95% upper-bound value). As a result, while the excess cancer risk estimated by US EPA method considering only direct ingestion tended to be underestimated, the risk which was estimated by considering multi-route exposure without Monte-Carlo simulation and then using the maximum or 95% upper-bound value as input parameters tended to be overestimated. In risk assessment for Trihalomethanes, considering multi-route exposure with adopting Monte-Carlo analysis seems to provide the most reasonable estimations.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제27권
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• pp.3.1-3.4
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• 2012

Objectives: The current use of humidifier detergent and its harmful impact on humans has arisen as a societal environmental health issue. Therefore, in this study we aimed to explore the relationship between demo-socio characteristics and humidifier use, as well as the monthly usage changes in pregnant women; thus, we report the actual status of humidifier usage of Korea's pregnant population. Methods: From a birth cohort of a Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study, 1,144 pregnant women who responded through questionnaires including demo-socio characteristics, obstetric status and household environment including whether they use humidifier and frequency of use were included in this study. Statistical analyses were performed to explore the relationship between maternal characteristics and the relevance of the use of humidifiers was performed using a chi-square test, a t-test and univariate logistic regression analysis. The monthly usage rate was demonstrated in the graph. Results: The humidifier usage rate in pregnant women was 28.2%. The average frequency of humidifier usage was 4.6 days per week, 7.3 hours per day. The usage rate was higher in the multipara group and the above the age of 34 age group than in the primipara and below the age of 34 groups. Seoul showed a higher usage rate than Cheonan and Ulsan and as the education level and income increased, the usage rate of humidifiers among pregnant women also increased. In the monthly trend of usage rate, the winter season showed the highest usage rate of over 45% and the lowest in late summer and beginning of fall with a value of 12% or less. Conclusions: During pregnancy, the mother's body is especially vulnerable to hazardous environmental exposure that not only affects the pregnant woman but also the fetus. Further research is still needed to elucidate the route and effect of environmental risk factors. Therefore, based on precautionary and preventive principles, special interest and caution in harmful environments are strongly needed not only at an individual level but also at a national level.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.165-170
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• 2009

Objectives : We evaluated the risk of fracture associated with hypotension-related adverse drug reaction caused by taking alpha blockers to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Methods : We used the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database from January 1st 2005 to June 30th 2006 for this study. The male patients with BPH and who had a prescription for alpha blockers following any fractures were defined as the cases. We set the 20 day long hazard period prior to the index date and the four control periods whose lengths were same with hazard period. After 1:4 matching of the hazard and control periods, conditional logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios for the risk of fractures as related to the alpha blocker exposure. Results : Doxazosin and tamsulosin showed the increased risk of fractures, whereas terazosin did not. After stratification using the defined daily doses, a protective effect was shown for the patients who took terazosin at the doses lower than 0.4 DDD and the hazardous effect at the doses higher than or equal to 0.4 DDD. There was no significant difference for the risk of patients taking tamsulosin at the doses higher than 1.0 DDD but there was a statistically significant increase in the risk at the doses higher than or equal to 1.0 DDD. Conclusions : Alpha blockers for BPH may increase the risk of fracture in elderly patients who have comorbidities and take the concomitant medications. Alpha blockers need to be prescribed with caution, although some have high prostate specificity.